Great Lake

At least some content in this article is derived from information featured in the latest update of Pottermore. As such, spoilers will be present within the article. Please take care when reading this article if you have not yet been through the latest update.

The Great Lake[1][2] (alternatively known as the Black Lake[3]) is a large body of water located to the south of the castle. It is about half a mile in diameter and the Hogwarts plumbing network drains into it.

Contents

History

Every school year at Hogwarts, after the Hogwarts Express arrives at Hogsmeade Station, Rubeus Hagrid (or a substitute) calls the first years to follow him to the lake shore and the magic boats. Whereupon Hagrid occupies one boat and each other boat carries up to four students. The boats then self-propel across the lake to a dock under Hogwarts Castle as per tradition. (At the start of the 1994–1995 school year, first year Dennis Creevey said he fell into the lake and the Giant Squid pushed him back into a boat.) Upon reaching the castle, Hagrid and the first years disembark and climb stairs to the lawn, and enter the castle proper through the front doors. First years then wait until summoned into the Great Hall to get Sorted into their houses. At the end of their first year, students take the boats back to Hogsmeade Station, while most older students ride down the lane in carriages.

Temperature

The lake is very often cold, but Viktor Krum is known to have swum in it, wearing nothing but swimming trunks, apparently not affected by the low temperature (although this is probably due to the fact that his school, Durmstrang, is located in a place that is even colder).

Lily Evans and her friends were also said to dangle their legs over the water, which could mean that there were no rules whilst they were in school against swimming in the lake.